One of the biggest benefits of being military is that we are all family. That means when one of us needs help, the rest of us pitch in. A couple of weeks a call for help went out. A call for help that fit perfectly in my wheelhouse… and my heart. A single mom needed help with her pony.
Emma & her daughter had been riding Chin Chin (said pony) weekly for three years. Now it’s owner no longer wanted beautiful little Chin Chin. Chin Chin had been outgrown. Chin Chin is also 20 years old. The choice was for Emma to take over Chin Chin’s care, or that-which-shall-not-be-named. Emma said yes on the spot, then panicked a little. Being a single mom is hard enough, add in a pony that needs daily care & love… help was needed.
In we come. In exchange for cleaning his stall, refreshing his straw, brushing, grooming and loving Chin Chin we get a pony to ride! Dane & I have Chin Chin two days a week, Emma three days, and a third mommy is pitching in with another two days. We’ve got this!
My last month(s) has just been tough. Long hours, emotional moments, there’s nothing more I need than a little animal therapy and bonding time with Dane. Simply driving out to the stables I feel weight lifted off my shoulders. Horse country in Germany is stunning. Twenty minutes from my house and the rolling hills, white fences, horses! My eyes seeing all that beauty already creates happiness in my soul. And then we get to Chin Chin.
Chin Chin who is always so happy to see us. Chin Chin who is funny, loving, adorable and a little bit naughty. He loves me. He loves to hug me, he rests his big heavy head on my shoulder. He gives me kisses, little lip nips that slobber all over me. Mostly, he loves to tug on my pony tail. I need a better conditioner, I think. It must look like straw to him. Or, he’s just a prankster, because every time he sneaks up behind me and gives it a nibble or tug, and I whirl around to scold him, he grins at me.
Yesterday it rained. I put on my bright orange raincoat, and went to care for my beautiful little pony anyway. He was very unhappy with my raincoat, or rather the hood I’d pulled over my fantabulous straw-like ponytail. While I was kindly shoveling out his stall, he snuck up behind me, grabbed my hood firmly with his lips and pulled my hood down. I whirled around to glare at him. He grinned.
The second I turned around to finish my task, he yanked my ponytail. That pony makes me so happy.
Meet Chin Chin!
He’s a very playful pony. He & Dane are very, very well-suited for one another.
Taking care of a pony is hard work. First, clean-up the old straw.
Then get the pony fresh, new, straw.
And finally, you can bridle, saddle and ride the pony. Pssst…. lookee the silly pony grin. He thinks he’s going to run me over (he’s not LOL!).
Me & Chin Chin. He’s a hugger. I love him!
Horse Country. Germany.
I miss those days….. There’s just no smell like horse-smell! Can you bottle some for me? LOL. Glad you’re having a fuzzy friendl to calm your mind.
Apparently there’s a guy in England bottling up “fresh air” and making a fortune. Not sure if it’s a myth or not, but I’m willing to try bottling the horse-smell LOL!
That first pic with Dane had me cracking up. And Chin Chin’s mane, oh my goodness!
Chin Chin got a haircut on Thursday. He’s a little cranky about it. I’ll try to sneak new photo’s this week. He’s a ham!
Lucky Chin Chin with all that loving! Beautiful country… Loving the pictures..
I receive your Newsletters, I live in the USA, I shop online from DigitalScrapbookingStudio and I love your personal section where you tell all about your family and what is going on at the moment. You have served as a connection to our Soldiers lives also by your conversations, thank you for this, I have learned how hard you all struggle financially which came as a shock to me and I began following closer in our local newspaper concerning our service families. You are an inspiration and my prayers are that God will sustain and prosper you and your family and all of our serving Armed Forces Men and Women and their Families, God Bless You, I have grown to love you as a sister
Oh thank you Patricia! What a blessing to hear these kind words after a terrible week and on Easter. It warms my heart and soul. God bless you and yours.
Awesome! Love the photos and am so glad you’ve got a means to unwind.
Pet therapy is the best! Chin Chin is lucky to have you and you’re lucky to have him! Beautiful pictures.
Horse therapy is the best therapy! So happy for you and Dane and Chin Chin!
Love your horse story! And Dane is growing like a weed!!
I know! Make it stop! He’s the last one, I want to keep him little just a bit longer. This is such a great age.
And I bet Chin Chin doesn’t even care when they tell him he’s having a bad hair day! Loving this story!
Toiny, I love your stories and Chin Chin’s mane looks a little like my oldest daughter’s hair – tangly, curly and fluffy all at once. Chin Chin reminds me of Midget a pony I used to look after for a girlfriend when her agistment fell through – he was a real card as well and I swear he used to laugh when he got one up on me. Cheeky little bugger xx
Loved reading this and viewing those beautiful pictures. You have such a gift for writing and just pulling the reader in for more and more. Do you ever print copies of what you write for family/friends who do not like using the computer? I do that for my daughter who hates computers (can you believe that?) and then print it out, insert in acid free sheet protectors and then in 3-hole notebook. Now that she has the notebook at her home I just put anything new in the sheet protector and give it to her to insert in her notebook. This would be an awesome gift for your future grandkids/great grandkids to see as they get to know more about you.
[…] Energetic. Inventive. Last night, while I was scrubbing boots after an afternoon at the Pony (Chin Chin), he googled YouTube and discovered how to turn water into ice without a freezer. I finished just […]
[…] and The Last Giraffe. I’ve only ever been lucky enough to have horses in my life (I miss my ChinChin) but I love all the animals. Especially giraffes! Between all our love of animals, and the […]